My lawn is parched. Brown. And the occasional blotches of green weeds; they have deep enough roots to endure the heat and lack of water (that’s another WISH post in the making). We haven’t had much rain, and all living things need water.

Did you see my magnificent peonies? Their bloom was wonderful, but alas, peonies don’t last. The grass withers and the flower fades, it’s a timeless truth. It’s part of God’s grand design for creation. The Bible verse is, of course, about more than flowers and grass; it’s about life and mortality. For the most part we learn to accept this truth, but it’s not easy. I remember one curmudgeon of a saint, “Bob”, who was a member of the church I was serving. At the weekly men’s breakfast, (a small group of guys who got together to jest with one another and reminisce), Bob was once again remembering the good old days and bemoaning change. “Nothing lasts forever”, groused Bob. I am not unsympathetic to his observation; I have felt the sting of unwanted change and loss. It got me thinking.

I really don’t believe the saying that “nothing lasts forever”. While change IS the constant state of the universe, there are some things that do NOT change. Bob inspired a sermon on the topic. Can you think of some things that DO last forever? I found it fun to recount them, though I probably missed some. Our scripture verse this week, Isaiah 40:8, names one of them: the word of God. We can be thankful for that assurance because in God’s word some others are named too.

* Christ’s Kingdom will know no end (Rev. 11:4, Daniel 2:44, Isaiah 9:7)
* The love of God endures forever (Psalm 136)
* The presence of God with us (Matthew 28:19)
* “Diamonds are forever”, …Oops! nope. Only the things of God are forever.
* In Christ, we receive His Spirit, and the promise of life everlasting! (John 3:16)